Safety jacket or hood for vessels



(No Model.)

W. D. DUNCAN. SAFETY JACKET OR HOOD FOR VE SSELS.

No. 373,133. Patented Nov. 13, 1337.

N. PETERS. Phulolilhogmpher, Washington, D.

ATENr tribe.

WILLIAM D. DUNCAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SAF ETY JACKET OR HOOD FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 373,133, dated November 15, 1887.

Application filed February 2, 1887. Serial No. 226,309. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM D. DUNCAN,

of Boston, county of Suffolk, and State of Mes the coast, or is run upon the beach, thereby staving holes in her bottom near the bow. Through the holes thus made in the bottom of the vessel the water pours until it fills the hold. In many cases the hole in the bottom of the vessel is too large to be effectually closed by the means ordinarily employed, and consequently the vessel. cannot be profitably rescued and taken to docks for repairs.

In accordance with my invention I provide for emergencies of the character referred to by providing for the vessel a flexible jacket or safety-hood adapted to be drawn under and about one end, herein shown as the bow of the vessel, in which position it is securely fastened in suitable manner, the said jacket or safety-hood covering the keel and bow back of the hole to be protected and to a point on the bow above the water-line.

My improved flexible jacket or'safety-hood will preferably be made of three or more layers of N o. l cotton duck sewed or otherwise fastened together and out or shaped according to the lines of the vessel, so that the saidflexible jacket or safety-hood will fit the bow of the said vessel, the said jacket or safety-hood extending beyond the hole in the bottom of the vessel.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel provided with myimproved jacket or safety-hood, and Fig. 2 a view of thejacket or safety-hood detached to show the construction preferred by me.

The flexible jacket or safety-hood is composed, preferably, of three layers, 2 3 4, of No. l cotton duck united, as shown, by stitching 5, the layers forming the-jacket or safetyhood, being cut obliquely or on the bias and united together, as at 6, to fit the bow, as

end (see Fig. 1) to form a fly, a, which is provided with eyelets a, through which stay-ropes a are inserted and fastened, the said stay-ropes being fastened, as herein shown, to the sides or deck of the vessel after the jacket or safetyhood has been drawn over the bow of the vessel. The jacket or safety-hood, in practice, will be of such size that its sides will be above the water-line.

In order that my invention may be comprehended and its great advantage and utility readily seen, let it be supposed that the vessel A, which may be a steamship or sailing-vessel of any type or class, has had a hole stovein her bow. In this condition divers, if the vessel is submerged, or nearly so, will apply the jacket or safety-hood, as shown in the drawings, to fully cover the hole in the bow of the vessel, and thereafter the water will be pumped out and the vessel raised and started on her course by towing or otherwise.

The force of the water upon the jacket or safety-hood as the vessel cuts through the water is sufficient to press the flexible material of the jacket or safety-hood against the vessel close enough to practically prevent water entering between the bow of the vessel and the jacket or safety-hood.

The'cotton duck, when once wet, issubstantially impervious to water, so that when the jacket or safety-hood has been placed over the 9 5 hole very little, if any, water can get into the vessel, and that which does can be easily removed by the pumps.

I do not desire to limit myself to the use-0f cotton duck, as it is evident other textile or water-proof fabric might be used.

I have herein shown my improved jacket or safety-l1ood as made of three layers of cotton duck; but I do not desire to limit myself to the precise number of layers, as a single layer might be used with advantage.

When my improved jacket or safety-hood is applied to iron vessels, the stay-ropes alone are depended upon to secure the said jacket or safety-hood in place; but when applied to wooden vessels at batten, B, willalso be used, it being nailed to the vessel near the upper and aft edges of the jacket or safetyhood.

I have herei 11 shown the jacket orsafety-hood as extended but a part of the length of the vessel, so as to cover only a portion of the bottom near the how; but I wish it to be understood that the said jacket or safety-hood may, if necessity requires it, be extended to completely cover the bottom of the vessel in the direction of its length; or the saidjacket or safety-hood may be drawn under the stern and extended toward the bow beyond the hole in the vessel, in which case the vessel, if an iron one, will proceed through the water stern foremost.

I claim- 1. As an improved article of manufacture, a

jacket or safety-hood for controlling leaks in vessels, consisting of two or more layers of cotton duck secured together, the strengthening layer or layers being of lesser width than the main or outer layer, whereby the greatest resistance will be brought where the greatest force or strain will come, substantially as set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a jacket or safety-hood for controlling leaks in vessels, consisting of two or more layers of cotton duck cut and fitted to substantially conform to the lines of a vessel and secured together, substantially as described, the said jacket or safety-hood being adapted to be drawn under and about one end of the said vessel, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM D. DUNCAN.

\Vitnesses:

G. \V. GREGORY, F. CUTTER. 

